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20 October 20266 min read

AI Investors in Manchester (2026): Who Is Backing Early-Stage Startups

The investors backing early-stage AI startups in Manchester in 2026: what each one invests in, cheque sizes and the AI startups they have backed.

The main Manchester investors backing early-stage AI startups in 2026 include PXN Ventures, Northern Gritstone, DSW Ventures, EHE Ventures and River Capital's fund:AI, covering everything from pre-seed to Series A.

Researched and written by Zeeshan Ali at Platvix. Updated October 2026.

TL;DR

  • Raising pre-seed? PXN Ventures runs the PraeSeed programme, and DSW Ventures invests from £100,000 before Series A.
  • University spinout? Northern Gritstone partners with the universities of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield and invests in science and technology spinouts.
  • Building an AI-first company? EHE Ventures in Manchester backs AI-first startups from pre-seed to Series A, and River Capital's fund:AI backs Northern AI companies with revenue.

Pre-seed and seed AI investors in Manchester

PXN Ventures

A Manchester-based venture investor, part of PXN Group, which manages several funds for the North West.

Northern Gritstone

A Manchester-based investment company that partners with the universities of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield, investing in science and technology businesses.

DSW Ventures

A Manchester-based venture capital firm, part of Dow Schofield Watts, that manages SEIS and EIS funds and often leads early rounds.

EHE Ventures

A Manchester-based investor, part of EHE Group, running an (S)EIS fund that backs only AI-first UK startups, with technical support from its own venture studio.

River Capital (fund:AI)

A Liverpool-based fund manager running the North of England's first dedicated AI fund, structured as an EIS fund and open to companies across the North.

Also worth knowing

Manchester Angels, an angel network, has recently backed AI sales startup Doris Labs and Manchester cyber security startup Ghost Shift (October 2026). IQ Capital, a Cambridge deep tech investor, is also an investor in Imperagen.

FAQ

Is there an AI-only investor in Manchester?

Yes. EHE Ventures, based in Manchester, runs an (S)EIS fund that backs only AI-first startups from pre-seed to Series A. River Capital's fund:AI, managed from Liverpool, invests in Northern companies using AI, machine learning or data science that have passed £250,000 in revenue.

Who invests at pre-seed in Manchester?

PXN Ventures runs PraeSeed for pre-seed founders across the North, DSW Ventures invests from £100,000 before Series A, and EHE Ventures backs AI-first startups from pre-seed. Northern Gritstone has also led recent pre-seed rounds.

How were these investors chosen?

We included investors based in or active in Manchester that invest at pre-seed, seed or Series A, focus on AI or have backed AI startups, and have announced a fund or deal recently. Every fact links to the firm's own announcement or to business press.

How do I find which Manchester investors fit my startup?

Platvix is an investment intelligence platform for founders. It supports your fundraising journey by helping you refine your pitch deck and find the capital options most relevant to your startup, based on what each investor says it backs and what it has done recently.

Where to go from here

Find the Manchester investors most likely to back you

Manchester has funds, angel networks and public money for early-stage startups, so the hard part is knowing which ones fit your startup. Platvix researches which investors are likely to back a company like yours, based on what each one says it invests in and what it has been doing lately.

  • Investor research across each firm's stated thesis, recent deals and fund announcements, kept up to date
  • A targeted investor list built against your startup's stage, sector and location
  • Deck analysis that reads your pitch the way an investor would
  • Claims verification that checks the numbers in your deck before an investor does

Run that research on your own startup before you start sending your deck.

Start your investor research →

If you run one of these funds and something has changed, get in touch.

Tags

  • Investors
  • AI Startups
  • UK Fundraising
  • Pre-seed
  • SEIS

About the author

Zeeshan Ali, Co-Founder

Co-founder at Platvix, building an investment intelligence platform and the ecosystem around it so founders become investment-ready faster and VCs make stronger decisions. I focus on operations, partnerships, and community building, turning strategy into execution through programmes, processes, and founder support.